the crusade

crusade

History:
Deep In the burning sands of Mithran lays a holy oasis. It was created by the ancient Gods of a long forgotten past. Throughout its many lifetimes of existence many different peoples from many far off lands sought comfort its pure and cleansing waters for their own use. It had long lay undiscovered for 200 years until a travelling nomadic trades man stumbled upon the holy waters by mistake. He left, only to return leading his village’s high Caliph, his village people and a caravan full of supplies. The opportunistic Caliph envisioned ruling with grandeur a great empire of the desert in the name of the font. Surprisingly, many years passed with little harassment from invading outside forces. During one of the many long lulls in the fighting, The Caliph managed to secure a city of fortified stone. Spreading from the oasis out, this is now a thriving bustling city

Current Setting: It has been many years since the founding of Sisoa and a 3rd generation caliph descended from the original is now ruling the city. The city has a bustling bizarre where the traveling pilgrim can find “anything” of their hearts desire. The city itself is highly fortified with many defenses and many a vigilant guard. The stone wall forms a pentagon that points true north and is roughly a mile and a half wide at a point. The city was made with siege in mind and can last months of it, it has 3 “rather” (dc 23 gather info) secret aqueducts that pump fresh water into the city. The city and neighboring villages has a pop of 135,000 citizens a standing guard of 5,000 and another 45,000 of willing conscripted men, and a few women, to rise up in arms at the caliph’s notice. There are several sister cities who have close relation with the caliph; however they are their own city states and have a peaceful alliance between them. Nobody really attacks the city anymore for it is too large and too defended for any war host to just ransack and pillage. The caliph has also made a few allies with a few of the many nomadic war tribes that scavenge the area for food and est. extra 10,000 men (mostly riders trained with short bow) for help. A healthy stem of trade keeps the city well fed and their coffers full. A large stash of preserved food is kept always in the caliphs dungeons for rationing when times are scarce or times of war. Because of the fonts healing powers* the city has a rather small population of clerical skilled people, there are however; a few priest of the healing skill paid for the upkeep of the font and font grounds and their additional self divined powers. The healing waters have no effect when taken off the fonts holy* ground. the Caliph has a elite faction of guards guarding, hmm… who could have guess that, the caliph and personal advisors called the CULT OF THE FONT**. The Cult has 25 members (most are swordsages of varying levels and a few wizards are among them too) who are fanatically devoted to their leader’s protection.
. A drought acts as a heal light wounds potion, heals 1pt of con damage that has been dealt, and refreshes the person once a day per person.
.. the gods are lost and all clerics here, divine powers from within themselves, needless to say there are a few of them and the highest level cleric s a level 9 cleric
… The fonts grounds are treated as hallow and cannot be permanently defiled, only temporarily
…. the cult can have as many people as the gm wishes, but keep in mind that the cult should not be able to take on an invading army and win so keep it simple… if you want.*
HistoryII
Many centuries have passed since the gods had left, so long ago that even the tales bards speak around campfires or sing in taverns have been lost to the ever stoic sands of time. The Existence of the pantheon is common knowledge; however that should you ask a youngling they would recite some fantastical tale why the gods are no longer here. Most people know the gods once existed, but alas no more. Here is a tale that the neither the younglings nor the greatest of bards can recite. “Many Centuries ago in countries that their names no longer mean anything to anyone, a young woman was of marrying age, aptly named Mary, but none would have her because of her god Bourne ugliness. Fearing a lifetime of being a milk maid, she ran off from home vowing never to return, but return she did many years later, the most beautiful and fair woman in the country side. It was once rumored that should she awake before dawn the sun would hide its rising ashamed of its homeliness. She attracted the attention of men of all circumstance, old, married, single, youthful nobody recognized her from her previous state of being. Yet she still did not wed, even though she received requests hourly. Years, and a high village divorce rate, later a passing young paladin came to her village, he stayed in the local tavern as night approached. The paladin caught her attention from the road, yet he had yet to see her, she followed him to the tavern, seeing as this being the revenge against the gods that “cursed” her, she seduced the paladin and made him hers, but under a condition, he must forsake his gods for her. This he did readily and he lost his godly powers, with this being her chance for ultimate revenge; she altered her form back to her previous state. He was shocked to see her true form, but before he could do anything she spoke words of magic and had him pinned to listen. She said scornfully ’ this was the way the gods created me to be doomed a life without companion ship’. He still pined by her powerful magic’s, attempted to curse her for his lost powers. But she had a rebuttal,’ when I left this village because of my curse I wandered for a many a score of nights. Starving and hoping to end my miserable life I found a deep pool of water for the task. I took the plunge and moments had passed of self struggle my body gasping for breath my mind saying no. it was during the last struggle my body filled with a power that sustained me and fed me, was it godly, no I felt none present, all I unlocked was a power within me, and me only. When I exited the pool brimming with energies I’ve never felt before, but they were far from alien. These inner magic’s I discovered allowed me to change and alter the world around me as if I were mage. I returned to my village after many years of mastering the control of my powers growing in strength and it was my powers, not some lofty god’s. with this knowledge of inner power I wish to spread to the world to eradicate the gods, to make them obsolete, I ask you now as the only option to get your powers back help me and I’ll teach you the ways of inner powers which can rival the powers of those “touched” souls who dedicate themselves to their uncaring deities. For I tell you truthfully, the gods care not about us yet they expect us meet their needs. I say they are greedy bastards who want nothing more than attention, will you please help me in my quest O noble knight?’ as she transformed seductively into her nymph-esq form.’ yes’ he cried. She taught him the ways of inner power and he unlocked powers that matched evenly with his previous, but he felt free, un-restrained by the gods strict rules and regulations, and in love with the women, they consummated a child. Many years had passed and the duo had managed to secure many followers and establish schools in most major cities attracting many followers of all creeds and converting even more from the ranks of the gods. Wizards, sorcerers, clerics, paladins, and casters of ranges of life good upright citizens, lowly thugs learned the power. It was soon apparent to the pantheon’s lords that they were losing control quickly over their creation. The gods’ first reactions were to destroy these up risers, but that idea was quickly down turned by the majority, instead they opted to watch how this terrible “power” was abused by the denizens. So they retracted their remaining clerics and paladins from the world and watched the quick degradation of society. And quickly degrade it did, as those who previously had no power abused their powers to elevate themselves above the laws and the rules of countries and nations. The paladin that Mary converted also grew abusive of the powers. He became addicted so much that he completely broke free from her and ravaged the countryside with a fanatical view of world. She sought a solution, but nothing could be done she opened the floodgate of this terrible power and she could not close it. Ashamedly she went to an abandoned temple to a god of the pantheon, to ask for intervention. She spent days in prayer and solitude trying to commune with the deity only to have a mocked silence as a response. Finally she proclaimed loudly ‘I will do anything to stop this, please help,’ for this she receive a response. ‘You have unleashed this on your own doing; you spat at our names and defiled the pure ones, for this you must pay. However; this power must be stemmed, and for us to stem this power we require of you a sacrifice, and then a curse shall be placed on you for your deeds’. She cried out in despair. For many moments she cried in self pity at what she had done and what she would have to do. When she was finally able to compose herself, she swore solemnly’ I will do anything to put an end of this.’ the sacrifice desired is your pride and joy, your powers, and your son,’ spoke the entity. For this she wailed and writhed for hours, crying in despair, she was torn into pieces. When they saw this they took pity on the soul and claimed’ that one day we will relinquish your son into the world again in many years to bring the world back to us. She, with teary eyes, agreed to the terms. She, powerless, heirless, and pitiful the world in disrepair had no idea where to begin life again, she was still beautiful but no longer had any powers, she headed home to finish her life as an old milkmaid. the powers obtained by those who abused it vanished*, except for a few, and those who didn’t keep theirs, very few of these indeed, the gods have remained vanished since then and memories of them have all but vanished. Mary’s sire was reportedly killed by an ambitious follower just day before Mary made the sacrifice. Entire cities were razed and many governments were overthrown and destroyed. Mysterious ruins can still be found scattered throughout the land from their destruction.,” this tale had not a happy ending but it doth give many a reasons why life is what it is and, what happened so long ago.

gm note almost all magics, both arcane and divined come from the body still but attaining these powers requires sacrifice and a life threatening event to unleash. Many never make it their will save modifier of at least 2.
Current setting:
A Paladin arrives in the port city Ron haven. Nobody takes much interest. There are many self appointed severs of justice around. He goes by the name of Siron the iron clad .He is very charismatic and because of his charitable deeds, very quickly rises to city council then to lord mayor. From there word of him quickly spreads from village to towns to other cities. He goes from his base city as a missionary form lowly village to town to city quickly establishing a large group of followers and his popularity with the people grows so much so that he even rivals the regional king. After exposing huge corruption in the local king, whom he over throws it almost overnight making himself Lord Regent of Geschelleschaft. He sends missionaries out south and east looking for future followers of the “god child” aka Siron. He captures the heart of aristocrats and pheasants alike. One spring morn he called all followers to meet at the capitol city of Geschelleschaft, Nimdenthal, to reveal to them wonderful truth… the return of the gods and with that he turns pure white and speaks the tongue of the divine. The pantheon spoke and bid the nations to war against those who hoard their holy font behind walls of stone. The people took this message to heart and prepared his followers of 60,000 capable hands to war. Siron’s missionaries went far and wide promising honor, wealth, and divinely deliverance for help in the Crusade. Some 80,000 more men joined the war host from the neighboring nations. Churches were started devoted to the pantheon many self divined cleric converted to theism. He enlisted the barbaric plainsmen, the wizard’s conclave, the proud Cree’s, men from the Uberland came and all joined his cause. the Crusaders are now on the march to Mithran specifically Al-Font for conquering gaining more and more followers as he goes by the time he reaches Mithrans first defendable city he has 160,000 men and dozens of siege weapons.
Gm: note… he loses many men by the time he reaches Sisoa he should still have a force of about 130,000 for the siege of Al- Font, the city should have about 55,000 defenders.